I've on occasion, with strict rules and constant supervision, let my 15 year old son use my camera. Sounds horrible, but I waited soooo long to be able to afford a nice camera and accessories, that I am paranoid about it being out of my oh so careful hands. lol

Last Christmas, I bought an okay dig camera for both of my oldest kids. Camedia (can't remember the number). Okay zoom, 3 mp I think but slow shutter, poor focus in low light, and he says the zoom is not "big enough"

He has a decent eye for composition and says he wants me to upgrade my camera so he can have the Rebel. (yeah, right).

I have a problem with the whole price thing in teens hands. (the kid has had one cell phone accidently washed in his pocket, one stolen from his pack on the beach and the current one (which will be his last until he has a job to pay for one) is being more carefully guarded! But....

That all said, can anyone suggest a nice affordablecamera with the zoom he's looking for (he loves the lense on the Rebel; a tamron 28-300)? I know he'll be careful, but he's still a rowdy young man, so a durable model would be nice too.

I looked at reviews for Fuji, Canon, Nikon, Kodak and the others and I still have my head spinning. Would like to have the ability to use adaptors for accessory filters, etc and keep the camera itself below the $400.00 mark. Possible?

Sounds like a challenge. I hope he appreciates the efforts you seem to have made for him.

If he is truly careless, I don't know what camera will survive. However, you can get some pretty good superzooms for less than $400. The Panasonic FZ-10 seems to have a lot of happy owners. 4 megapixels. 12X optical zoom. Image stabilization. Fast glass throughout the entire zoom range. The FZ-5 is smaller and has similar specs with 5 megapixel resolution. I have a Fuji S-5100 which is cheaper. No image stablization. 10X optical zoom. Uses AA batteries. Takes decent pictures. Its successor, the soon tohit the market S-5200, has 5 meg resolution and a new sensor which allows for lower noise at higher ISO ratings, which makes it attractive for people taking shots in low light.

Anyway, I hope Mr. Cell Phone Destroyer takes good care of whatever you get for him. If not, it's time for him to get a job and buy his own.

Sounds like a challenge. I hope he appreciates the efforts you seem to have made for him.

If he is truly careless, I don't know what camera will survive. However, you can get some pretty good superzooms for less than $400. The Panasonic FZ-10 seems to have a lot of happy owners. 4 megapixels. 12X optical zoom. Image stabilization. Fast glass throughout the entire zoom range. The FZ-5 is smaller and has similar specs with 5 megapixel resolution. I have a Fuji S-5100 which is cheaper. No image stablization. 10X optical zoom. Uses AA batteries. Takes decent pictures. Its successor, the soon tohit the market S-5200, has 5 meg resolution and a new sensor which allows for lower noise at higher ISO ratings, which makes it attractive for people taking shots in low light.

Anyway, I hope Mr. Cell Phone Destroyer takes good care of whatever you get for him. If not, it's time for him to get a job and buy his own.

Thanks for the reply,

I will look again at the panasonic and Fuji's. I'll also check with our camera shop and see if they have any 'trade ins' that might fit his desires.

He's not truly careless or destructive... just a boy... or I wouldn't even be asking these questions!!! He has the ability to be careful...just check his really expensive 'long board' skate boards....he sleeps with them under his bed after he's cleaned and 'loved' them.

As a mother of six, myself, who also owns and guards her dSLR carefully, I would suggest that you take a look at the Olympus C-765. It is a very nice 10X optical zoom digial camera available for right around $200 (US).

Yes, it takes longer to foucus in low light, but all in all it had great photo quality, 4mp and it is the smallest of the ultra zoom digital cameras.